And at that moment, in a corner somewhere behind them where construction materials were piled up, a pair of eyes watched everything in secret.
"Unbelievable... Who exactly is that guy?!"
"He actually dared to kill a Celestial Dragon outright!!"
Bani, a Revolutionary Army member who had been carefully hiding in the shadows, finally couldn't help muttering to himself after watching the slaves gradually disappear into the distance.
"And that guy indirectly freed every slave in Bridge-on-the-Nation, too."
"So, as a Revolutionary Army member, I've been lying low here all this time for nothing?!"
At the thought, Bani blinked, at a loss for words.
His mission as a Revolutionary Army member had been to come here, wait for the right moment, and find a way to free the slaves.
But the job he was supposed to do had been completely taken care of by an unknown powerhouse who had suddenly appeared.
And he'd done it remarkably well.
The man's approach had been far more direct and effective than the plan Bani had originally envisioned.
That was exactly why Bani couldn't help feeling that all the trouble he'd gone through to infiltrate this place had been completely unnecessary.
"Ah, forget it. As long as those slaves were freed, that's what matters."
"Whether I was the one who did it isn't all that important."
Bani sighed softly, silently consoling himself.
"But I still need to report this unexpected situation back as soon as possible."
After all, the Celestial Dragons were the sort of people even the Revolutionary Army wouldn't provoke lightly.
Yet the powerful stranger who had suddenly stormed into Bridge-on-the-Nation had beaten a Celestial Dragon to death.
And after killing him, he had hung his corpse from a streetlamp.
Bani had been just as thrilled to see the Celestial Dragon beaten to death, and he'd found it immensely satisfying.
But no one could predict the consequences or repercussions of a Celestial Dragon's death.
At that thought, he turned, pulled up his hood, and hurried away without hesitation.
After Bani had gone some distance,
in another shadowy corner piled with construction materials,
someone holding a camera suddenly emerged.
He looked unremarkable, was rather short, and had a mustache.
He gazed in the direction where Will had disappeared, his eyes filled with both fear and excitement. He couldn't help murmuring:
"To have accidentally taken so many incredible photos! This is amazing! FIRE!"
"But this place is way too dangerous! I need to get out of here, fast! FIRE!"
Then he cautiously looked around.
Only after confirming no one else was nearby
did he quietly leap out of the corner, clutching his camera as he made a quick escape.
Meanwhile,
Carina and Nami were still aboard their ship, some distance from the bridgehead.
Under a light drift of snowflakes, they sat beside a table on the deck, drinking steaming hot tea
and quietly waiting for their captain to return after leaving on his own.
Luckily, they hadn't encountered any Marine warships or other unfamiliar vessels during that time.
As time passed,
they began taking out their binoculars from time to time, looking toward Bridge-on-the-Nation and searching the sky for that familiar figure.
But they still couldn't spot him.
"Carina, do you think something might have happened...?"
After so much time had passed without Will returning, Nami couldn't help growing worried.
Carina was also a little concerned, but she smiled and reassured her.
"Don't worry, Nami. In the East Blue, there's probably no one who could threaten our captain's safety."
"You're right, Carina."
Just then, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind them.
"Will?!"
Carina and Nami were startled by the voice and quickly turned around.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Will walked over with a smile and plopped down in his big chair.
Then he set the little chest he'd been carrying on the table and said mysteriously:
"Take a guess—what did I bring back for you this time?"
"Huh?" Nami and Carina exchanged puzzled glances, then said in unison:
"Could it be some really valuable treasure?!"
Will gave them a look that said, "Just as I expected," then answered vaguely:
"That's not wrong. What's inside the chest is worth a lot."
"Even the most ordinary one could sell for at least a hundred million Berries."
"What?!"
Nami's eyes lit up. She flung herself over the chest and repeated the news in astonishment:
"You're saying every single treasure in this chest is worth at least a hundred million Berries?!"
She had worked hard for years and still hadn't managed to save a hundred million Berries.
Yet the things in this chest could each sell for the amount of money it would take her years to save.
That was absolutely ridiculous!
Carina, on the other hand, looked thoughtful.
She seemed to have guessed what was in the chest.
Her expression turned astonished, and she murmured:
"Could it be...?"
Will saw their reactions and decided not to make them guess any longer. He reached out and opened the chest.
There was no glittering treasure, nor the distinctive smell of Berries.
Nami and Carina couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.
But when they saw the peculiar fruit inside, both of them froze.
"It really is... a Devil Fruit!!" Carina quickly came to her senses and exclaimed.
Nami, who had still been staring blankly, immediately paled in shock at her words.
"Huh? You mean this is the Devil Fruit people talk about?!"
"The one that gives you all sorts of special powers when you eat it?!"
She was so surprised that she couldn't help firing off question after question to make sure.
"That's right!"
Carina nodded with certainty, studying the fruit with great curiosity.
"This is what gives Devil Fruit Users their powers—the Devil Fruit spoken of in all the tales at sea."
"If you eat it, you'll gain some kind of special ability, which can make you much stronger in no time."
"Of course, the sea will curse and reject you, leaving you unable to swim for the rest of your life."
"But compared to the special power you get in return, becoming a non-swimmer isn't all that hard to accept."
Hearing that, Will shook his head slightly and interrupted:
"That's not quite accurate, Carina."
"Not every Devil Fruit will quickly make you stronger after you eat it."
"To figure out whether the Devil Fruit you have is useful to you,"
"or what specific ability it grants and what side effects it might have,"
"you usually need this."
As he spoke, he took the book he had brought back along with the Devil Fruit from his pocket and casually handed it to the two women sitting beside him.
Before you continue